Offset lacrosse head

ABSTRACT

A lacrosse head including a sidewall having at least one upper rail, extending between a base and a scoop, including a primary rail and a secondary rail. The secondary rail can diverge from the primary rail at a junction as the primary rail extends from the scoop toward the base. The primary and secondary rails can define an aperture therebetween, where the aperture accentuates the offset configuration of the head. The bifurcated upper rail can also enhance the strength of the sidewall at or near the base.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit to U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 61/110,324, filed on Oct. 31, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to lacrosse equipment, and moreparticularly a lightweight lacrosse stick head having increased strengthand enhanced ball feel.

Conventional lacrosse sticks include a head joined with a handle. Thehead includes a frame that forms a region within which a lacrosse ballcan be caught, held or shot. The head can take the form of an open framehaving a base with an interior surface that defines a ballstop, a pairof sidewalls that extend from the base, and a lip that interconnects thesidewalls, remotely from the base, to form a scoop. The frame can defineholes that secure a lacrosse net around the rear of the frame. A throatcan project from the base of the frame for attachment to a handle, whichcan define a central longitudinal axis.

In many lacrosse heads, all or a major portion of the base or sidewallscan be curved or offset downward as these elements transition to thescoop. While this downward scooped configuration is appealing, it can insome cases present challenges with regard to maintaining the desiredstrength of the head in the areas of the downward transition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a lacrosse head of lightweight designhaving increased strength and improved ball feel.

In one embodiment, the lacrosse head can include a sidewall having anupper rail including a primary rail and a secondary rail. The primaryrail can extend generally linearly from a base of the head toward ascoop of the head when viewed from a side perspective. The secondaryrail can separate and diverge upwardly from the primary rail at ajunction near the base. In another embodiment, the secondary rail canextend in an upwardly angled manner or an upwardly curved manner awayfrom the primary rail, toward the base. Optionally, the secondary railcan join the base distal from the junction.

In yet another embodiment, the lacrosse head can include a longitudinalaxis extending from the base to the scoop. The primary rail can besubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the base to thescoop.

In another further embodiment, the longitudinal axis can be located in ahorizontal plane. The primary rail can extend from the base toward thescoop in this horizontal plane, and the scoop can contour downwardlywith respect to this horizontal plane.

In a further embodiment, the lacrosse head can define another horizontalplane offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis. The secondaryrail can extend along this horizontal plane before transitioningdownward toward the primary rail at a junction. In yet a furtherembodiment, the primary rail, secondary rail, and optionally thejunction and the base can cooperate to define an aperture which visuallyemphasizes to a viewer the downward transition of the secondary railtoward the primary rail. With this construction, the viewer can readilyrecognize the lacrosse head as having an offset construction.

In another further embodiment, the secondary rail can diverge from theprimary rail at an acute angle opening toward the base. The secondaryrail can join the base at a distance above and separate from the primaryrail to define an aperture therebetween. The aperture can be a varietyof different shapes, such as a polygonal, circular, elliptical ortriangular shape.

The present invention provides a head that is simple, lightweight andstrong. With the divergent upper sidewall structure, the head isprovided with an offset or scooped structure that includes an improved“double bar offset” reinforced frame, which refers to the spatiallyseparated primary and secondary rails being located in the offset regionof the head. This can add strength and rigidity to the head. Inaddition, this configuration visually augments the offset feature of thehead, which can appeal to many lacrosse equipment consumers.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the invention, whenview in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a current embodiment of the lacrossehead of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lacrosse head;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lacrosse head;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the lacrosse head;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a first alternative embodiment of the lacrossehead; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the lacrosse head;

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a lacrosse head 10 in accordance with acurrent embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The head 10can generally include a throat 34, a base 14, at least two sidewalls 18,and a scoop 22. The throat 34 as depicted in FIG. 1 is joined to thebase 14 and is adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle 31. The throat 34can be tubular in shape and can define a cavity to receive a lacrossehandle 31 through a socket opening 33. The handle 31 can be securedwithin the throat 34, optionally by means of a screw 35 or othersuitable means. Optionally, the throat 34 can define one or morecircular or elliptical apertures 37, 39 to reduce the weight of thatcomponent.

As depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the lacrosse head 10 can include a base 14joined with the sidewalls 18 defining a longitudinal axis 46 extendingtoward the scoop 22. The base 14 can include a ballstop 16 distal fromthe socket opening 33. The ballstop 16 can further include a concaveinterior and can be integral with the head 10. Further, the ballstop 16can include a first series of netting apertures or eyelets 15 forsecuring a net or web, as illustrated in FIG. 6 The eyelets 15 caninclude a recessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circularor elliptical as desired.

The base 14 can include one or more reinforcing members 36 disposedbetween a portion of the throat 34 and at least one of the ballstop 16and the sidewall 18. Optionally, the reinforcing member 36 can be acontinuous and unitary extension of the sidewall 18, defining anaperture bounded by a portion of the reinforcing member 36, throat 34,and ballstop 16. As shown in FIG. 3, a longitudinal axis 46 can liewithin a first horizontal plane 47 that bisects the upper and lowerhalves of the throat 34, and subsequently a handle 31 joined with thethroat 34.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the head 10 can include a pair of sidewalls18 extending from the base 14 toward the scoop 22 to form an interiorsurface 20. The sidewalls 18 can be of diverging hourglass configurationin plan view, being interiorly convex for about one-half of theirlengths adjacent the scoop 22. Alternatively, the sidewalls, and therespective rails thereof, can be substantially parallel to one another.The longitudinal axis 46 can define a vertical plane of symmetry 48disposed between opposing lateral sidewalls 18, wherein the opposingsidewalls 18 are mirror images of each other, as can be the laterallyopposing portions of the base 14. Alternatively, the opposing sidewalls18 and/or base 14 can be different from one another in structure andorientation so that the head is asymmetric as desired.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the lacrosse head 10 can include a sidewall 18having an open-frame construction. The sidewall 18 can include an upperrail 25 and a lower rail 24 separated by a distance. The upper rail 25and lower rail 24 can define an non-string hole aperture therebetween,optionally extending from the base 14 to the scoop 22. The sidewall 18can further include one or more reinforcing cross members 56. The crossmember 56 can connect a portion of the upper rail 25 and a portion ofthe lower rail 24. Optionally, the cross member 56 can define any numberof non-string hole openings in the sidewall 18. This open-frameconstruction can substantially decrease the amount of material used toform the sidewall 18 portions, thereby decreasing the overall weight ofthe lacrosse head 10 while retaining the desired rigidity anddurability. The sidewall can also define one or more string holes oreyelets 32 disposed around a portion of the lower rail 24 or elsewhereto join a net or web to the head 10. The string holes 32 can include arecessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circular orelliptical as desired.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the upper rail 25 can include a primary rail 26and a secondary rail 28. The primary rail can extend from the scoop 22to the base 14 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 46 whenviewed from a side perspective, as depicted in FIG. 3. The secondaryrail 28 can diverge from the primary rail 26 at a junction 27, extendingin at least one of an upwardly angled manner and an upwardly curvedmanner away from the longitudinal axis 46 between the junction 27 andthe ballstop 16. The secondary rail 28 can join with the base 14 at adistance above and separate from the primary rail 26 so that thesecondary rail 28 and the primary rail 26 define an aperturetherebetween. The aperture can also be located between the junction 27and the ballstop 16, whereby the aperture visually accentuates thedivergence of the secondary rail from the primary rail so that a viewreadily recognizes that the lacrosse head is of an offset construction.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the primary rail 26 can follow an inwardlyconcave contour near the base 14 before extending generally parallel tothe central longitudinal axis 46 along a portion of its length. Theprimary rail 26 can transition to an inwardly convex contour and divergefrom the central longitudinal axis 46 before transitioning to aninwardly concave contour proximate the scoop 22. As shown in FIG. 3, theprimary rail 26 can be void of any substantial curves up or down fromparallel alignment with the longitudinal axis 46 as the primary rail 26extends from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22. Optionally,the primary rail 26 may extend substantially linearly from the base 14or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22 when viewed from a side perspective.Alternatively, the primary rail can be substantially linear from thebase 14 or ballstop 16 up to the scoop 22, at which point, the railcurves or angles downward.

The primary rail 26 can be a unitary extension of the ballstop 16, andcan also extend from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22within the first horizontal plane 47 defined by the longitudinal axis 46as noted above. As the primary rail 26 extends from the base 14 orballstop 16 toward the scoop 22, the primary rail 26 can also bepositioned at or below the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a sideperspective. However, as desired, the primary rail 26 can vary to aposition at or above the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a sideperspective.

In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, the upper rail 25 can fork ata junction 27 near the base 14 into a primary rail 26 and secondary rail28 that are separated by a first distance. The primary rail 26 canremain at or above the longitudinal axis 46 from the junction 27 to thescoop 22. Additionally, the primary rail 26 can extend from the junction27 to the scoop 22 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 46 alonga substantial portion of the axis 46 when viewed from a sideperspective. Optionally, the primary rail 26 can be of a circular,polygonal, elliptical, rectangular, or beveled cross-section that isgenerally uniform or varies as it extends from the base 14 to the scoop22.

Returning to the current embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the secondary rail 28can extend between a portion of the base 14 or ballstop 16 and a portionof the primary rail 26. The secondary rail may optionally be a unitaryextension of a forward or upper portion of the base 14, graduallycurving downward toward the junction 27. Optionally, the lacrosse head10 can include a second horizontal plane 50 offset from and parallel tothe longitudinal axis 46, wherein the secondary rail 28 extends along aportion of its length within the second horizontal plane 50 beforetransitioning downward toward the junction 27. The second horizontalplane 50 can be offset from and positioned above the first horizontalplane 47 by a pre-selected distance. The secondary rail 28 cantransition downwardly in a curvilinear and/or linear manner toward thejunction 27 to form an offset angle a with reference to the primary rail26. The angle a can vary as the application requires, but generally, thesecondary rail 28 can gradually curve or angle at an acute angle abetween the primary rail and secondary rail. In the area of thesidewalls 18 where the primary and secondary rails 26, 28 diverge, thoserails can define an aperture therebetween.

The secondary rail 28 can join, fork from, diverge or branch from theprimary sidewall 26 at the junction 27 in or near the ballstop 18.Optionally, the junction 27 can be located between the base 14 and thescoop 22 at a portion of the primary rail 26 extending generallyparallel to the longitudinal axis 46 in plan view, or elsewhere in thehead as desired. Additionally, each secondary rail 28 can be of acircular, polygonal, elliptical, rectangular, or beveled cross-sectionthat is generally uniform or varies as it extends from the base 14 orballstop 16 to the junction 27.

The lacrosse head 10 can further define a curvilinear or polygonalaperture bounded by the primary rail 26, secondary rail 28, junction 27and base 14 or ballstop 16. Beginning with the end defined by thejunction 27 of the primary and secondary rails 26, 28, the aperture canextend generally toward the base 14 and can terminate in a polygonaledge with beveled interior corners. As shown in the current embodimentof FIG. 3, the head 10 can define a rounded aperture, for example anelliptical aperture bounded by the primary rail 26 and secondary rail28. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the primary and secondaryupper sidewall rails 26, 28 can vary along their length to promote theelliptical aperture when viewed from the side or base of the head 10. Ofcourse, the aperture formed between the primary rail 26 and secondaryrail 28 can be of a variety of geometric shapes. As depicted in thealternative embodiment of FIG. 5, a generally triangular aperture can bebounded by the primary rail 26, secondary rail 28 and the base 14 and/orballstop 16. If desired, other geometries for the aperture may beselected as desired. For example, referring to another alternativeembodiment of FIG. 6, a polygonal aperture can be bounded by thesecondary rail 28 and the primary rail 26. The other structures andcomponents of these alternative embodiments in FIGS. 5 and 6 can bevirtually identical to those of the current embodiment.

Returning to the current embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the sidewalls 18 arejoined by a scoop 22 at the ends thereof remote from the base 14. Thescoop 22 can further join the upper rail 25 and lower rail 24 at aportion of the sidewall 18 distal from the base 14. The scoop 22 canalso define a front lip outside surface 38, back lip outside surface 40,and an inside lip surface 44. The scoop 22 can include a third series ofnetting apertures or eyelets 30, optionally disposed between the backlip outside surface 40 and inside lip surface 44 for securing a net orweb thereto, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 5. The eyelets 30 can include arecessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circular orelliptical as desired. The back lip outside surface 40 can be disposedat an angle 42 to the front lip outside surface 38 to minimize abrasionto the netting caused by contact between the scoop 22 and the groundduring play, such as the lacrosse head disclosed in U.S. Reissued PatentRE38,216 to Morrow which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

As shown in FIG. 3, the scoop 22 can contour downwardly with referenceto first horizontal plane 47 defined by the centerline axis 46 as thescoop 22 extends from the sidewall 18 to a portion of the scoop 22furthest from the ballstop 16. The scoop 22, together with the sidewalls18 and base 14 or ballstop 16, can form a unitary head 10 with a smoothand continuous pocket facing interior. A netting or web can be securedto the head 10 through the first series of netting apertures or eyelets15 disposed in a portion of the ballstop 16, a second series of nettingapertures or eyelets 32 disposed in the sidewalls 18, and a third seriesof netting apertures or eyelets 30 disposed in the scoop 22.

The lacrosse head 10 can be of an open frame, monolithic constructionand formed from one or more of a variety of compounds such as nylon,urethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyketone orpolybutylene terephalate. The desired lacrosse head 10 can be formed byfirst selecting its shape and configuration. After the shape andconfiguration is selected, a mold having a mold cavity can be formed inthe shape of the head 10 to be formed.

As noted above, lacrosse handles of conventional construction typicallyhave all or a major portion of a head disposed below the centrallongitudinal axis, often in plane with the leading portion of the base.The current embodiment as depicted in FIGS. 1-6, however, includes asecondary rail 28 offset from the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed froma side perspective, and structurally supporting the primary rail 26which extends linearly from the base 14 to the scoop 22 when viewed froma side perspective. This improved offset design can provide a lacrossestick head having increased strength, improved ball feel, and enhancedshooting capabilities—as well as an appearance that draws attention tothe offset head configuration.

The above description is that of the current embodiment of theinvention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departingfrom the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in theappended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with theprinciples of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Anyreference to elements in the singular, for example, using the articles“a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting theelement to the singular.

1. A lacrosse head comprising: a throat adapted to connect to a lacrossehandle; a base joined with the throat, the base including a ballstop andhaving a longitudinal axis; a scoop distal from the base, wherein thelongitudinal axis extends toward the scoop; a pair of sidewallsextending from the base and joined with the scoop, each sidewallincluding an upper rail and a lower rail separated from one another by adistance, the upper rail including a primary rail and a secondary rail,the primary rail extending from the scoop to the base generally parallelto the longitudinal axis when viewed from a side perspective, thesecondary rail extending from the primary rail at a junction, thesecondary rail extending in at least one of an upwardly angled mannerand an upwardly curved manner away from the longitudinal axis betweenthe junction and the ballstop, the secondary rail being joined with thebase at a distance above and separate from the primary rail so that thesecondary rail and the primary rail define an aperture therebetween, theaperture also being located between the junction and the ballstop,whereby the aperture visually accentuates the divergence of thesecondary rail from the primary rail so that a viewer readily recognizesthat the lacrosse head is of an offset construction.
 2. The lacrossehead of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis lies within a plane thatbisects the upper and lower halves of the throat.
 3. The lacrosse headof claim 2, wherein the primary rail extends from the base toward thescoop at least partially within the plane.
 4. The lacrosse head of claim2, wherein the scoop contours downwardly with respect to the plane. 5.The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein the secondary rail graduallycurves downward from an upper surface of the ballstop toward the primaryrail.
 6. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein the secondary rail is aunitary extension of a front portion of the base.
 7. A lacrosse headcomprising: a throat adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle; a basejoined with the throat, the base including a ballstop; a scoop distalfrom the base; a sidewall including an upper rail having a primary railand a secondary rail, the primary rail extending substantially linearlyfrom the ballstop toward the scoop when viewed from a side perspective,the secondary rail extending from the primary rail as a separate rail ata junction near or in the ballstop, the secondary rail extending in atleast one of an upwardly angled manner and an upwardly curved mannertoward the ballstop, the secondary rail being joined with the basedistal from the junction.
 8. The lacrosse head of claim 7, furthercomprising a longitudinal axis extending from the base toward the scoop,wherein the primary rail is substantially parallel to the longitudinalaxis from the base to the scoop.
 9. The lacrosse head of claim 8,wherein the longitudinal axis lies within a first horizontal plane thatbisects the upper and lower halves of the throat, and subsequently ahandle joined with the throat.
 10. The lacrosse head of claim 9, furthercomprising a second horizontal plane offset from and parallel to thelongitudinal axis, wherein the secondary rail extends along a portion ofits length within the second horizontal plane before transitioningdownward toward the junction.
 11. The lacrosse head of claim 10, whereinthe secondary rail diverges from the primary rail at an acute angleopening toward the base.
 12. The lacrosse of claim 11, wherein thesecondary rail is a unitary extension of a forward portion of the base.13. The lacrosse head of claim 12, wherein the primary rail, secondaryrail, junction and base cooperate to define an aperture which visuallyemphasizes to a viewer the downward transition of the secondary railtoward the primary rail, whereby the viewer can readily recognize thelacrosse head as having an offset construction.
 14. The lacrosse head ofclaim 13, wherein the scoop contours downwardly with respect to thelongitudinal axis.
 15. A lacrosse head comprising: a throat adapted toconnect to a lacrosse handle; a base joined with the throat, the baseincluding a ballstop and having a longitudinal axis; a scoop distal fromthe base, wherein the longitudinal axis extends toward the scoop; a pairof sidewalls extending from the base and joined with the scoop, eachsidewall including an upper rail and a lower rail separated from oneanother by a first distance, the upper rail forking at a junction nearthe base into a primary rail and a secondary rail that are separated bya second distance, the primary rail remaining at or above thelongitudinal axis from the junction to the base, the secondary railextending in at least one of an upwardly angled manner and an upwardlycurved manner from the junction toward the base.
 16. The lacrosse headof claim 15, wherein the secondary rail and the primary rail define anaperture therebetween, the aperture also being bounded by at least oneof the junction and the base.
 17. The lacrosse head of claim 16, whereinthe secondary rail forks from the primary rail at an acute angle. 18.The lacrosse head of claim 17, wherein the secondary rail is a unitaryextension of a forward portion of the base.
 19. The lacrosse head ofclaim 18, wherein the longitudinal axis lies within a plane that bisectsthe upper and lower halves of the throat, and subsequently a handlejoined with the throat.
 20. The lacrosse head of claim 19, wherein theprimary rail extends from the junction to the scoop generally parallelto the longitudinal axis when viewed from a side perspective.